It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel is the tenth episode of the fourth season in this television sitcom on Family Matters, which was aired from ABC on December 11, 1992. It was directed by John Tracy and written by David W. Duclon and Gary Menteer. Plot While Christmas shopping, Laura really snaps at Urkel for accidentally breaking an expensive crystal ornament, which she had intended to give Harriette as a Christmas gift. She fumes that she wishes he could only see what it's like to be her, then maybe he'd understand. So, Laura's guardian angel, Tyrone (T. K. Carter) grants her wish and Urkel becomes Steve Winslow (in the alternate reality version). However there's a catch to her wish: she must walk a mile in his shoes as Laura Urkel so she'll find out what's it like to have her feelings hurt and teach her a lesson. Synopsis At the Winslow house Urkel tries his new invention in giving their tree fake snow. It blows up in Carl's face, much to his dismay. While taking a break in handing out gifts to orphan kids, Laura buys an expensive Christmas ornament she put on layaway as her Christmas gift to her mother, Harriette. Urkel shows up in his car to take her home and in the process he accidentally breaks the expensive ornament. She's real infuriated with Steve for breaking her mother's Christmas gift, tells him to get lost and wishes that he finds out what's it like to be her. A disheartened Urkel leaves and she goes back to sitting down on the bench freezing and waiting for Eddie to pick her up. Minutes later, Laura's guardian angel, Tyrone P. "Ty" Jackson shows up in front of her. He stops the time all together which prevents the people from moving with his handy angel remote. Laura's real impressed with that, but Ty's not there for chit-chat and tells her that he's here to grant her wish. He changes the TV screen to her family's house and that they're watching the Angel Broadcasting Channel(ABC). Tyrone tells Laura if he can successfully convince her to change her ways and wish, he'll be able to get his angel wings. In the alternate reality world, Eddie begs his father for extra cash to finish off his Christmas shopping, but Carl refuses and keeps his money. Then he tells him that he should be more like his younger brother, Steve, because he manages his money better than Eddie, never asked them for a penny and finished his Christmas shopping weeks ago. Steve comes down the stairs as the Winslow's second child and tells both his father and Eddie that he's heading down the mall to help the cheerleading squad hand out toys for orphan kids. Carl is impressed and admires him because he is charming, responsible, popular. He tells a jealous Eddie that Steve has all qualities of being a perfect son that Eddie himself lacks in spite of his popularity (being too narcissistic, irresponsible and childish). Not taking any notice of this, Laura is upset to think Steve is her brother. However, Tyrone corrects her that he is Eddie's brother and reminds her that she wishes that Steve could find out what it's like to be her for one day. He mentions to Laura that there's a catch in her wish and she'll find out what's it like to be in Urkel's shoes. Laura Urkel shows up in her stereotypical nerd fashion and she's oogles Steve, who's embarrassed by her. She speaks in her mousy voice and wishes them a Merry Christmas. In the reality world, Laura is shocked and embarrassed by Tyrone's actions. Minutes later, she recovers from her shock and tells him that horrible, nerdy version is her. Ty says yes and tells her that she's the Winslow family's annoying next door neighbor, Laura Urkel. He smiles at the idea and she's horrified by it. She tells him that she looks like a total nerd and that he should turn it off now. Tyrone refuses Laura's request and tells her that she needs to experience the emotions that Urkel goes through. He clicks his remote and transports her into Laura Urkel's body against her wishes. She says hello to Carl and Eddie and asks Steve for a kiss. He refuses and tells her to get lost. Laura refuses to leave, telling him that she'll win him over soon. Seconds later, Harriette shows up with a gingerbread house that she and Judy made for two whole days. Laura wants to lick the chimney, but Steve tells her to be careful with it as it's a work of art. She tells him that it's a work of Harriette; she laughs and snorts. Harriette is insulted by her comment and tells her to go home. Laura tells her that she can't right now. Carl asks her why not and she explains that she was kicked out of the Urkel home because of her new invention. Laura had invented an Automatic Poultry Stuffer with intent to help alleviate the stress of cooking Christmas dinner there. Unfortunately her mother, Mrs. Urkel was mistaken for a Christmas Goose by the dysfunctional machine that lead to Dr. Urkel kicking Laura out. She accidentally wrecks Harriette's gingerbread house by having the Winslow men fall on it. She asks "Did I do that?" Harriette is upset, tells her yes and she'll do 'this'. She tries to chase Laura, but Carl and Eddie restrains her. Later on, Steve was still angry at her for wrecking Harriette and Judy's hard work on the gingerbread house. Using the same words Laura used on him in the real world, he tells her to get lost because of what she did and tells her that he never wants to see her again. Laura dejectedly leaves and he slams the door in her face, causing snow to fall on her hurt face. Immediately, Tyrone uses his remote and brings Laura back to where they were watching the alternate world. She tells him it was an emotional trip because she acted and looked like a nerd. However, she admitted that she had feelings like anyone else. She loved Steve with all her heart, but he hated her and it felt awful to endure the feelings. She tells him she wishes to be nicer to Urkel and that she never wants to yell at him like that again. Ty tells her that was the wish he was really here to grant and is relieved that he's finally getting his wings. He gives Laura a second chance, and before leaving he asks her to keep an eye out for the first lighted star. She makes good on it when Urkel breaks the expensive ornament. Instead of yelling at Steve, she tells him that she's just relieved to see him okay. He takes her home and asks him to spend Christmas with her family. During the ending credits, Carl fumes about the star not lighting up as Steve walks into the living room with Laura. He tells her that he was expecting her to be mad at him for what happened to her mother's Christmas gift, not be nice to him. He asks her if she's suffering from a nervous breakdown or that her feelings towards him had changed. Laura mentions that she doesn't want to tell him what really happened to her, but tells him that it made her grow up. Richie tells them the star on the tree has been lit. They walk out and only Laura realizes that Tyrone has received his wings. Steve asks her who she's talking to and when she tells him, he concludes that she is suffering from a nervous breakdown. Closing Card The ending sequence shows the Winslow house converted into a Christmas card which opens that says "Family Matters wishes you and yours a happy holiday season". Cast Main * Reginald VelJohnson as Carl Winslow * Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow * Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle Winslow * Darius McCrary as Eddie Winslow * Kellie Shanygne Williams as Laura Winslow / Laura Urkel * Jaimee Foxworth as Judy Winslow * Bryton James as Richie Crawford * Jaleel White as Steve Urkel and Steve Winslow * Telma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford * Shawn Harrison as Waldo Geraldo Faldo Guest * T.K. Crater as Tyrone "Ty" * Mary Deese as Dis-grunted Passenger Gallery It's Beginning to Look a Lot a Like Urkel (2).jpg Trivia * Laura is the first Winslow that experienced what life is like as Steve. Carl would later follow in the season 6 two part episode "To Be Or Not To Be" as Carl Urkel. Like Laura, he experienced what life was like as Steve, being yelled at and gaining an appreciation for him. Eddie would become an Urkel like personality in Season 8's "What Do You Know?" as Eddie Urkel. However, his motivation was only out of greed and had to learn his lesson the hard way. * In A Thought in the Dark, Laura would later get her original wish in the form of Ted's cousin, Myra. * Steve would later find out what life is like as Laura in season 5's Hell Toupee when he first learns how possessive and jealous Myra really is when she comes to the wrong conclusion (at the time) that Laura wants him. This would be explored in both seasons 5 and 9, making him gain an appreciation of respecting Laura's personal space. * Urkel's Winslow counterpart in the alternate reality, Steve Winslow, is the early prototype for Stefan Urquelle. * The Winslow family in the alternate world have their personalities switched (with the exception of Eddie) when it came to their neighbor, Laura. Harriette for example shows little patience for her antics, while Carl is more accepting of Laura. Had Judy been there too, she would've shown personality similar to Eddie in being irresponsible and having a lack of tolerance to Laura. * The episode takes its name from the Christmas song "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas". * This is the final time Laura kicks Steve out of her life. After learning what she felt like to be Steve, she’ll always forgive him no matter how many times she gets mad him in the remainder of the series. Quotes Category:Christmas episodes Category:Episodes Category:Season Four episodes Category:Season Four Category:Episodes involving Laura